


Dance of Masked Spirits

by KellBell39



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aang Really Needs to Grow a Spine, Aged-Up Character(s), Anti-Kataang, Changed Plot, Contains Awkwardness, Contains Comedy, Contains Drama, Don't Know How Graphic the Violence Will Be, Fix-It of Sorts, Katara is a BAMF, Maybe I Think Aang is a Lil Piss Boy But I Feel Vindicated by Show Canon, Maybe Sexual References, Mostly Because Politics is Fun, My First Fanfic, No Explicit Sexual Content, Not a Slave AU, Palace Intrigue, Political Intrigue AU, Slow Burn, Toph and Sokka are Drinking Buddies, Toph is Sokka's Age to Better Bully Aang Into Earth Bending, Violence Likely on Par with Show Canon, Will update tags and ratings as needed, Yue and Katara Bestie Times Coming Through, Zuko and Katara are the Real Stars of this Show, Zutara, lgbtq character(s), maybe a medium burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:27:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24937537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KellBell39/pseuds/KellBell39
Summary: The Avatar couldn't bring himself to kill Ozai during Sozin's Comet. With only vague threats from a re-vanished Avatar to keep the Fire Lord in check, Ozai moves with extreme political aggression to finish subduing the world. Three years after the comet, a message reaches the Southern Water Tribe. Katara would protect her people at any cost, even if it means coming face-to-face with the Fire Lord himself. While Katara bides her time playing nice in Caldera, people from around the world secretly move to permanently end the war.
Relationships: Blue Spirit/Painted Lady, Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Sokka/Yue (Avatar)
Comments: 35
Kudos: 43





	1. Anacrusis

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Restricted Work] by [Lykegenia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lykegenia/pseuds/Lykegenia). Log in to view. 



Katara hadn’t celebrated her birthday since she was nine—it wasn’t quite right for her to celebrate herself on the day after the anniversary of mother’s death. This year didn’t give her anything to celebrate either, as she awoke to a peculiarly early commotion. An attendant knocked urgently at the door. They requested that Katara hurry to the council room where her father and brother were hosting an emergency meeting. Her family, as a rule, were late risers excepting necessity. Curiosity paired with not a small amount of fear spurred Katara’s quickening pace as she made her way through the gradually more intricate halls.

While she made her way through the palace, her hand traced the nearly sixty-year-old carvings of her people. It was a work in progress, one of the clearest signs of her people’s unwavering determination to endure the world left by the Avatar’s two disappearances in the past century. While she was thankful to him for creating a better world, she felt bitter regret at the heavy losses for such an incomplete victory. The fire nation had taken too much from the rest of the world. Katara’s other hand wandered to where her mother’s necklace rested on her collarbone as she thought of how happy her mom would be to see the tribe’s progress, how proud she would be to know that Katara and Sokka helped the Avatar halt Fire Lord Ozai’s progress. The day of Sozin’s Comet several years ago revealed to the Fire Nation just how incomplete their genocides of the Air Nomads and the Southern Water Tribe had been.

Her mind, distracted, recalled the events leading up to that messy battle. It all started, Katara supposed, when she and Sokka found the avatar in the iceberg. They had been so young. Only ten and eleven years old. Avatar Aang had seemed so mature in comparison at the ripe age of twelve. He spent only a year in the Southern Water Tribe, studying with Katara as they learned from Master Hama. He then moved to train in the Earth Kingdom, learning from a bender Sokka’s age. If anyone thought this strange, they didn’t mention it to Katara. It would be a fool’s errand to tell her that children couldn’t teach the Avatar—she had mastered Southern Style mere weeks before finding Aang. Ten days after the first anniversary of her mother’s death. Katara had believed that his responsibility to learn all four elements in only five years would make him understand the weight of the lives who needed the war to end.

Yet, Avatar Aang had decided against deposing Ozai during the comet, instead declaring that the Avatar is only to maintain the balance between the physical world and the spirit world—he established that he would not be deciding any nation’s leadership. He was already the master of all four elements by time the comet came, but he believed that balance wasn’t and couldn’t be brought about through death. By soundly defeating the Fire Lord, but choosing not to kill him, he gave the world a fragile peace. Since halting the Fire Nation in its tracks, Avatar Aang vanished again. Ozai began to collect political capital by subtly threatening the other nations with violence if they did not comply to send important figures to his court as _honored guests_. While the world settled into what seemed like a period of political machinations and military posturing, the underground and united force of Avatar Aang’s allies began to bide their time for the next strike. While the avatar was content with a lack of direct violence, the rest of the nations yearned for a true peace. Little did the Fire Lord, or his war machine know about the unending patience of the Water Tribes and Earth Kingdom. _Fire sputters fast both to life and to death,_ Katara thought grimly, _both water and earth endure. And wait._

The thought faded away as she reached the palace’s council room. It was one of the few completed areas of the palace. Reasonably so, as it was the most public of the palace’s features to foreign visitors. But Katara’s musings of vengeance froze in their tracks when she saw her brother and father sagging into their seats while visiting Northern Water Tribe ambassadors nearly frothed at the mouth, waving an increasingly wrinkled paper. Once she was noticed at the door, the entire room silenced abruptly. Grim glances away from her said that this was going to be her second most unfortunate birthday. _Happy eighteenth birthday to me,_ she sighed and took a seat next to her father and brother as the men braced themselves to explain the contents of the paper.

Sokka’s eyes were tinged with red as he summarized for Katara. “The Fire Lord has personally sent a congratulations regarding the Southern Water Tribe’s princess coming of age. In fact, he politely requests—excuse me _suggests_ —that the two most honorable Water Tribe princesses join him at the palace in Caldera indefinitely to enjoy the pleasures of _civilized_ company,” His voiced dripped with both sarcasm and exhaustion. The Northern ambassadors continued their frenzied babbling about not complying with the Fire Lord’s summons.

Despite the ringing in her ears as she processed the likelihood of leaving the Southern Tribe for the foreseeable future, Katara rose from her seat quietly. The Northern ambassadors slowly silenced themselves. Although they didn’t respect the Southern Tribe as a whole, or women in general either, they have an altogether unhealthy obsession with social hierarchy. They quieted for her out of duty. “Have you called Yue to join us yet?”

Stunned expressions on the faces of the Northerners confirmed her suspicions. She nodded to the youngest of their lot, “Send for Yue immediately. We must begin preparing how best to manage this _most considerate_ of birthday missives from our treasured neighbors.” She could practically feel Sokka holding back a smirk as the young man scurried out of the room. A tense silence fell during the next handful of minutes, a short stretch which felt like an eternity when Yue glided into the room, nodding to the Southern Chief and his children. She shared separate special looks with both Katara and Sokka as she sat gracefully beside her ambassadorial staff.

“Forgive me for my tardiness, I fear I wasn’t _notified_ of our meeting.” Her voice was polite and soft, but her gaze as she glanced over to the men from her tribe was as full of ice as the chair upon which she sat. “Now, let’s discuss the missive at hand.”

Hakoda nodded in respect to Yue before launching into a complete recount of the letter. Once he finished his summary, the letter was slid to Yue by one of her more considerate ambassadors. After a brief skim and a thoughtful incline of her head, Yue locked eyes with Katara before saying, “I suppose we have a week to prepare our finest for the most exquisite Fire Nation court.”

She glanced briefly to the rest of the room, “Everyone except Ambassadors Hanuk and Nanik are dismissed to begin joint preparations with the Southern Tribe.” The ambassadors practically stumbled over themselves bowing and excusing as they shuffled hurriedly from the room. Only the close of Yue’s eyes while she took a deep breath signaled any sort of relaxation while she dismissed her dotty tribesmen. Her remaining two ambassadors and the Southerners waited patiently for her to signal her readiness. With a slight nod, she opened her eyes and looked across the large circular table to her fellow princess.

Katara inclined her head slightly before beginning. “I feel it would be most beneficial to write our favorite Beifong and let her know of our plans for your birthday. You know how she wanted us to visit her for an opportunity to host a party.”

Sokka laughed and nodded, bringing his hand up to stroke his chin. “I think our favorite Beifong could probably use a party. I guess I should make my way to Gaoling, so she doesn’t feel left out on the celebrations.”

“Maybe now is not the time to discuss your vacation plans,” Ambassador Hanuk crossed his arms gruffly as he spoke. “Some of us are here to _work_.”  
“Oh yes, of course, Ambassador Hanuk. Perhaps your work could include drafting a letter to the Fire Lord on my behalf, noting that we will be on our way as soon as our preparations enable us,” Yue smiled sweetly at the man’s grumble as he rose and, with a stiff shallow bow, made his way to the door. Katara couldn’t help a tiny, imperceptible smirk touching the corner of her lips as Yue added, “Perhaps it would be wise to prepare a letter for the Beifongs as well, if you wouldn’t mind. _I_ think it prudent to notify both parties.” She was rewarded with an even stiffer and shallower bow as his face hardened, and he finally left the room.

With only one of Yue’s ambassadors remaining, the room relaxed and began to openly discuss strategy. “Nanik, would it be at all possible for us to get a full wardrobe of hot-weather court clothing in a week?” She lifted her right hand to her temple and began to massage a circle gently.

Her ambassador shifted lightly in consideration. “I think we could get that done for the princesses if we set all clothiers in both tribes to the task.” After nods of acceptance from both Yue and Hakoda, Nanik excused himself to begin the preparations for the upcoming voyage.

Sokka sighed a bit sadly, resting a hand in front of his glassy eyes. “I guess we’ll postpone again?” He spoke quietly while making eye-contact with Princess Yue. The Northern princess gave a small nod and a soft frown.

“Out of the frying pan…” Yue murmured softly.

_Into the Fire Nation_ , Katara finished the sentence resignedly to herself.

—

Normally the crisp sea air sets Katara’s mind at ease, but as she watched the wind whip at Yue’s ice-white hair, she momentarily thought back to the council meeting from a week ago. When Katara joined Yue at the railing, the second girl sighed. “We’re only hours away from Caldera.” Silence fell over them. After a moment Katara glanced at the other princess’s betrothal necklace.

“I know he misses you too,” Katara rested a hand on her friend’s shoulder. Yue gave a small nod as she stared out into the ocean. With a deep breath she turned to look at Katara.

“The Northern Tribe has been whispering about your lack of engagement.”

Katara shook her head strongly. “Let them whisper. I have more important priorities until this war is _officially_ over.” Once again, silence enveloped the two girls. However, the silences between Yue and Katara were always companionable and comfortable. Both understood when it was time to start preparing themselves for the undoubtedly over-decadent greeting that they’d receive from their soon-to-be hosts. After some of their attendants had delicately set their hair and the girls had donned the lightest-weight and most traditional royal clothes offered in their homelands, they made their way gracefully down the gangway and into the offered carriages that were to bring them to the Fire Lord’s palace.

Despite the clothes being made of exquisitely fine cotton layers, the heat was absolutely sweltering. Katara was suddenly deeply thankful for most of their clothes having been designed in a mixture between Water Tribe styles and Fire Nation materials. She was already bending her sweat away from her person and imperceptibly evaporating it into the oppressively hot air. As they rattled along the streets towards the palace, Yue noticed Katara’s bending and gave a slight head shake. Katara knew that the older girl was right, but it was just _so_ blisteringly hot here. With a small sigh, she began focusing on keeping her core temperature low as opposed to wicking away her own sweat. It really proved much easier and more comfortable anyway. She hoped against hope that it would be cooler once they reached the palace.

 _Of course, the Fire Lord would want everyone to swelter in his palace._ She thought bitterly to herself as she and Yue waited to be announced to the throne room. It seemed that as hot as it had been outside, indoors was even more unbearable. The palace’s sole light source was impossibly hot wall sconces. During the walk through the palace, Katara noticed there was very few windows dotting the walls. This simple fact deeply concerned Katara, as the sun was an important factor in the power of fire bending. It was a sign that even in the heart of the capital, where the Fire Lord and his family dwelt, his own people were forced to endure and forego comfort. She found this to confirm what she had always believed—that the Fire Nation was ruled by a posturing monster.

—

Prince Zuko had been hearing nonstop about the Water Tribe princesses for the past two weeks. Not that anyone was _talking_ to him about it. That would imply they were talking to him at all. No one even wanted to spend time with the scarred and disgraced prince. He snorted some steam from his nostrils, causing the attendants that were fussing with his hair to flinch. After a quick glance into the mirror, he apologized briefly. _It didn’t matter what they would do with his hair anyway_ , he thought to himself dismally knowing that it would never distract from his face. From his scar.

The attendants finished preparing him for the throne room. They silently excused themselves to arrange other things for their incoming guests. Zuko hadn’t cared about where the visiting princesses would be staying, but that was also information that people had blathered about incessantly. He really couldn’t understand any of the frantic preparations. Their guests may have been princesses, but they were also from the _Water Tribe_. The palace here in Caldera had to be better than anything those people could make out of _water_.

Zuko decided there wasn’t much to be done until he was summoned to the throne room, so he walked over to the doors of his balcony and watched the wind ripple across the turtle duck pond. Unable to think of anything useful, he simply remembered his childhood playing around that pond. He remembered his mother’s voice happily cautioning him while he and his cousin Lu Ten sprinted back and forth in the garden. He thought back to the scent of his uncle’s tea in the spring breeze as Iroh taught both Zuko and Lu Ten about the ancient Sun Warriors civilization. He felt again that flash of fear as he pushed Mai out of the way of his sister’s fire bending. He remembered crying alone by the pond, only days after his mother disappeared.

A sharp knock at the door pulled Zuko out of his memories as a servant cautiously entered his room. “Prince Zuko, you are summoned to the throne room to receive the guests.”

“Of course. Thank you,” He moved from leaning against the balcony’s doorway and began the long walk. The throne room was always a struggle for Zuko. His father was seated front and center on the dais, with Azula slightly behind him on his right side. Fire Lady Ursa’s place was empty on the left side. Zuko’s place was behind his mother’s. His place and Azula’s had been reversed. He hadn’t sat in the place of the heir apparent for three years. Not since Azula had been named crown princess. Just after he settled down on the dais, the doors at the end of the throne room were thrown open.

“Presenting Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe and Princess Katara of the Southern Water Tribe.” An attendant next to the door announced their arrival. The doors were thrown open and two women glided into the room. One had shining white hair and wore a lilac colored dress with layers of white and navy-blue accents. The beadwork was exquisite. Zuko could only imagine how sweltering all those layers must be. The other woman wore sky blue layers with ocean blue accents trimmed with the fur of an ermine-hare. Both princesses had crystalline blue eyes which shone bright against their tan skin, but it was the _second_ princess that Zuko couldn’t look away from. Her expression was as icy as if she had just entered Koh the face-stealer’s lair. Yet, it was her eyes that captivated him. They held the ocean in them, as if she looked past the fire dancing at the edge of the dais and straight into him. No, it was as if she looked straight _through_ him. He managed to hold back a shiver as sheer contempt showed through the set of her jaw as she gazed unflinchingly at the Fire Lord. Something in him cringed away from her silent, almost invisible hatred. He’d only seen this expression on one other person, and it was the one she was currently staring down.

The princesses seemed to float to a stop a respectful distance from the Fire Lord and his children. They flowed into a full bow, hands on the floor with foreheads hovering gently above the ground. Somehow, they seemed familiar with the procedures of the Fire Nation court. It was a wonder to Zuko, who felt certain that they were nothing but uneducated savages. After a moment of complete silence in the throne room, the Fire Lord finally spoke. He must have been waiting for them to break courtesy and speak first, so he could shame them in front of the breathlessly excited nobles. He must have been disappointed by their excellent decorum.

“My most _honored_ guests,” Fire Lord Ozai drawled slowly. “We are _delighted_ that you have joined us to celebrate Lady Katara’s eighteenth birthday here at the palace.”

“It is our honor to be invited by the illustrious and distinguished Fire Lord himself.” The princess with the white hair tilted her head upward to smile at the Fire Nation royal family. “We brought with us gifts of thanks in an attempt to repay your kind offer of hospitality.” This gentle cue summoned a small entourage of Water Tribe attendants bearing intricately woven baskets. Ten baskets in total were placed between the princesses and the Fire Lord, before the attendants wordlessly sank into a concise and orchestrated bow behind their kneeling royalty. The nobles of the court gasped lightly, and whispers spread like wildfire as people craned their necks to investigate the baskets. Elaborately beaded shawls, gorgeously carved hair pieces, and piles of shining silver works gleamed up at the prying eyes of the Fire Nation nobles. It was his precise line of sight that allowed him to see a smug expression flit across the dark-haired princess’s face.

After Sozin’s comet three years ago, Zuko understood vaguely how much the Fire Nation had underestimated the Water Tribes, _especially_ the Southern Tribe. However, he was quite shocked that they had enough wealth and culture to provide anything, let alone wealth enough for such a display of fineries as a gift. As his eyes widened slightly, taking in all the expensive crafts before him, he was beginning to suspect that these Water Tribe royals weren’t as lacking as he had initially believed.

This time, the dark-haired princess spoke. “Please accept these _humble_ gifts as a show of gratitude to the _generous_ Fire Lord and his court as they host us during this time of celebration.” The raging ocean in her eyes had calmed, and he wondered if he had only imagined it. He puzzled through it, tuning out the rest of the formalities of the throne room while he watched the dark-haired princess. Although perhaps her fellow Water Tribe princess was initially more striking with her white hair, it was the contrast of warm brown hair and cold blue eyes that made the dark-haired woman so captivating.

Suddenly, all too quickly, the Fire Lord rose, and his children followed a respectful millisecond afterwards. In proper order, Ozai, Azula, and finally Zuko excited the room from the door hidden on the dais. Zuko knew that the court nobles would exit next. Once everyone had left, the Water Tribe princesses would be allowed to leave. It was to be a sign of their low station. Somehow, he got the feeling that the two women didn’t really care about the petty slights of the Fire Nation court. He imagined briefly how interesting the foreseeable future could be. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, but by the time his sister glanced back at him to mock their visitors his smirk had vanished.


	2. Allegro

Katara was practicing the needlessly elaborate Fire Nation tea ceremony. The nobles and royalty of this country had altogether too much time on their hands if they thought that this was an important thing to rigidly structure. Still, she couldn’t help but find the intricacies of the ceremony relaxing. It was something to do after all, and it served well to distract her from her more worried thoughts. While Katara continued her study of the proper way to serve tea, Yue spent her time learning how to paint in the Fire Nation style. Her usual subjects were the plants and animals of the garden, the fountain, and architecture of the estate they were housed in. But as she idly painted on that sunny afternoon, a much more fascinating subject could be found in the diligent tea-making Katara.

Their afternoon had been passing excruciatingly slowly, just as they all had since arriving nearly a week ago. Katara leaned back onto her heels from her kneeling position in front of the tea set. She sat beside the other girl and glanced over at Yue’s painting. “That’s an incredible piece.”

“Thank you,” Yue paused for a moment before continuing. “I was thinking that we should try to get to know our hosts better. We’ve been fairly isolated here,” She gestured vaguely to the estate surrounding the garden.

Katara nodded thoughtfully. “Yes. It might be important to get to know the royal family. Obviously Ozai is a no, but possibly the princess or the prince would be useful acquaintances.”

“The prince might be a better choice. There’s something off about that Azula character.” Yue pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes.

“Hmm. I don’t know. Prince Zuko stared at me the _entire_ time we were introduced to the court.” Katara scrunched her nose at the memory. “It was honestly very off-putting.”

Struggling to hold back a smile and keep a laugh out of her voice, Yue quipped, “Maybe it isn’t political reasons that had the prince staring at you so much. Tui and La blessed you with more _assets_ than just your bending, you know.”

When Yue gave in to her laughter, Katara groaned angrily. “I doubt that the prince of the most destructive regime in the history of the world would have a little _crush_ on a Water Tribe _peasant._ ”

Yue rolled her eyes at Katara’s melodrama. “Crush or no crush, I wonder if the prince will be useful enough for even half of our intel gathering. I’ve heard that he used to be the crown prince, but now Azula holds the title.”

“Hmm. That is a problem. I trust your instincts about Zuko, but his lack of access to military information makes it difficult to consider him particularly useful.” Katara rested her head against her hand.

“Sometimes the most useful contact is one who isn’t considered important.”

Katara raised her eyebrows questioningly.

“If no one expects him to give us any valuable information, then no one will suspect us for befriending him. It would be even less likely that they’d guess at us being responsible for a few conveniently defeated ambushes.” Yue, Katara had to admit, had a fair point.

“Okay, sure, hiding in plain sight. One problem, how are we even going to gain access to the military offices if he isn’t trusted?”

—

Zuko fidgeted with his collar and double-checked that his topknot was neat. Yesterday, he and Azula received an invitation from the Water Tribe princesses to tea. He was shocked. Neither of them had so much as welcomed either of the princesses to the Fire Nation.

Azula made it clear that she wasn’t going.

_“Oh, Zuzu, you don’t have to waste your time catering to the whims of those ocean savages!” She cackled and patted him on the shoulder. “Waste your time if you want. I understand you have your unscarred eye on the brown-haired peasant, but please avoid shaming our family_ again _.”_

He frowned as an attendant knocked lightly and poked their head into the room. “Your highness, the palanquin is ready.”

“Thank you,” Zuko replied with a curt nod.

The entire ride to the Water Tribes’ guest estate, he wrung his hands nervously. He was terrified of coming face-to-face with the unreadable blue eyes of the two princesses. As much as he feared his father and sister, the unknown scared him more. There was a certain amount of anxiety around simply embarrassing himself. An idea struck Zuko suddenly.

“Come on, what would Uncle say?” He muttered while clenching and unclenching his fists in his lap. “Maybe something like, ‘a tea ceremony is a battlefield in its own right, and like any battle one must be willing to retreat, because losing the battle can be necessary to winning the war?’” He brought his hand up to the right side of his face and massaged his temple softly. “No, that’s stupid.”

The palanquin slowed to a stop with the tiniest jolt. Zuko opened the door and dropped to the ground before he could be assisted. He briskly walked to the door where a Water Tribe attendant answered with the customary Fire Nation bow.

“Welcome, Prince Zuko. The tea is set up in the garden. Please allow me to lead you there.” The attendant remained patiently in their bow for Zuko’s answer.

“Thank you.”

The palanquin ride from the palace to the Water Tribes’ guest estate had been a short one, but Zuko had still worked up a sweat in the dry summer heat, and he had only been sitting inside the palanquin. The second he stepped into the Water Tribe estate; it was as if the temperature dropped several degrees. He couldn’t tell if it was the delicate blue draperies along the wall or the carefully manufactured cross-breeze. Maybe it was the vibrantly colored plants that somehow stubbornly adorned the halls despite nearly all other plants in the capital taking on dry brown hues. Whatever the reason, it put Zuko’s muscles at ease while a question he couldn’t quite grasp at tickled the back of his mind.

Finally, the attendant announced his arrival. “Prince Zuko.” The attendant silently bowed and disappeared into the background as Zuko made his way to the octagonal pavilion across the garden. The two princesses rose and bowed to him in correct fashion as a greeting. When he reached the pavilion, he returned their greeting and seated himself on the remaining cushion by the low table. He was surprised to see the table set for the traditional Fire Nation tea ceremony.

The white-haired princess spoke first. “I would like to thank you for the honor of joining us for tea this afternoon, Your Highness.” Zuko couldn’t tell if that was supposed to be sarcasm pointed at his sister’s absence or not, but it _sounded_ like genuine appreciation for his presence.

“Of course, I apologize for not offering you a welcome to the Fire Nation earlier. You are the royal family’s esteemed guests, after all.” He inclined his head to the women slightly.

“You flatter us with your grace,” The dark-haired princess spoke softly as she began the ceremony by selecting a balanced mixture of dried tea leaves and grinding them in a pestle with perfect attention to the changing size of the tea leaves. He found himself entranced by her as she progressed seamlessly through the ornate ceremony that even Zuko had not bothered to learn. Once she had the tea steeping, she seemed to notice his staring. “Have I made a mistake in the ceremony? I didn’t mean to cause any offense by improperly performing your customs.” She was moving to bow in apology.

Zuko flushed deeply, realizing how it must have looked to the two foreign women. “Oh, um, no you did a great job actually. Uh congratulations? No, I mean, thank you?” Small smiles tugged at the corners of the princesses’ mouths. They schooled their expressions quickly, however.

“I hope you don’t mind, but we decided to have some Water Tribe treats offered alongside your traditional Fire Nation tea accompaniments.” The white-haired princess stated simply as she gestured softly to the tiered platter that held strange cookies and fruits. Beside that was a much more familiar fare of light snacks.

He cautiously took what appeared to be a dried fruit that had been boiled, and he set it on his plate. Additionally, he grabbed a small cookie with an almost black hue and placed it beside the mysterious fruit.

“Ah, a sea prune and a seaweed cookie.” The dark-haired princess gave a nod of approval, and Zuko assumed that he had chosen well.

He also realized, just then, that he should probably know their names by now. He had a fifty-fifty shot of guessing, but he had _never_ been good when it came to luck anyway. So, he decided that getting it wrong would look worse than asking. “Thank you, Princess…”

“Princess Katara of the Southern Water Tribe.” She supplied mildly while she turned away to begin delicately pouring the tea.

“So…” Zuko realized that would make the woman with the white hair Princess Yue. He also realized that for him to appear to remember only Yue’s name would be an insult to Katara. His face turned red as his voice faltered. He was desperately trying to find a tactful way out of this mess he’d made for himself.

Princess Yue—truly a gift to the world in Zuko’s mind—benevolently smiled and brought her hand lightly to her collarbone in a self-referential gesture. “Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe,” Although her face remained polite and kind in a neutral sort of way, he noticed her pale blue eyes bubbling with laughter.

_These princesses are very expressive and nice for nobility_ , Zuko thought to himself fleetingly as he nodded his head respectfully to their self-introductions. He tried to imagine what would have happened if he had done this to Earth Kingdom nobles and drew a blank, figuring only that it would be obscenely melodramatic. He even tried to imagine what would happen if someone forgot Azula’s name before deciding that some things are best not thought about.

Absently, he popped the small oblong fruit into his mouth. He almost spat it out immediately. Zuko had thought that he was able to hide his expression of shock. _Oh no, I’ve gone and completely insulted them and their entire culture!_ This thought pounded through his skull as he chewed and swallowed quickly, to make his apology, noting that the sea prune had a hidden sweetness under it’s tough and tangy exterior. It was a shocking but not unpleasant little fruit.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I’ve never had foreign cuisine before,” He stumbled over his apology. “It’s good, I think. But very… surprising?” It had become painfully obvious that at least a third of Prince Zuko’s contribution to the conversation had been questions. And of those, the majority probably weren’t best in question form.

With a warm chuckle Princess Yue waved his concern away. “Sea prune is an acquired taste. Try the seaweed cookie; it _is_ a little salty but has a delicate sweetness.”

He obliged abashedly hoping to not mess it up this time and found himself tilting his head in surprise when the cookie tasted delicious to him. “Oh! It’s like a salty rice flour cookie.” His enjoyment of the cookie caused them to encourage him into eating more and more food.

They excitedly said dish names like ‘sweet crab cakes’ or ‘kale cookies’ followed by descriptions like ‘uses squid ink’ or ‘fried in seal blubber.’ After only a few samples, Zuko couldn’t keep any of the dishes or their ingredients straight. Some foods made him nod in appreciation while others made him scrunch his nose and pucker his lips. With either reaction, the princesses smiled and encouraged him to try something new. A bit too quickly, he had tried at least one of everything. The conversation naturally slowed once the two women were done emphatically explaining their culture’s dishes. It’s not that Zuko was able to say much anyway while his mouth was stuffed with food. He took a small sip of his tea, quirking his nose slightly, before reheating the cup in his hands.

The two princesses met his flagrant disregard for the tea ceremony procedure with only slightly amused expressions, and a deep flush once again colored his face. “Oh, um. I-uh… don’t like cold tea?” he offered lamely.

Their mouths were pursed into flat lines again. Zuko frantically began to search for another apology when the Water Tribe women erupted into laughter. His initial response was shame. He was sure they thought he was an idiot. When they noticed his frown, they immediately tried to collect themselves.

“Oh, no, Prince Zuko! We’re not laughing at _you_.” Princess Yue struggled to stop her laughter. The thought flitted in the back of his mind how informal and open her speech was. Maybe he should have been offended, but he couldn’t bring himself to feel the emotion. “It’s just that Katara spent the last week memorizing the tea ceremony, and we thought it would be a lot more formal than this.”

Princess Katara was smiling despite her hard work seeming useless. Zuko’s frown deepened. “How can you smile and laugh about your practice going to waste?”

She tilted her head in confusion. “No skill learned is ever truly wasted.”

He blinked in surprise.

—

Katara wasn’t excited for the I-told-you-so that she knew was coming from Yue. After how kind and easily flustered the Fire Nation prince had been, it was obvious that he was the best choice to try and access the main palace regularly. Prince Zuko’s easy-going nature paired with Azula’s abrupt note of refusal told them what they needed to know. Katara pulled on a dark long-sleeved tunic and tight gray breeches. She pulled her brown curls up into a loose bun before donning a cloak and flipping the hood low over her brow.

Yue would be ready at their meeting place outside the compound around the same time as Katara herself. They had selected a copse of trees with low hanging branches for just such a purpose. As the sun set, they were going out to see the actual state of Caldera and its people. Although having their guest estate surrounded by guards watching their every move was getting in the way of the Water Tribes’ real reasons for agreeing to come to the Fire Nation capital city, Katara and Yue’s attendants had been feeding them information about the city from the marketplaces. It seemed that beyond the glimmering streets of the wealthy nobility and the ignorant royalty, the rest of the capital was suffering under the harsh weight of an unpopular war. However, there was only so much information the Water Tribe attendants could gather on their own.

The last rays of sun were fading from the horizon by the time both plain-clothed princesses slunk into their tucked-away meeting place. “That estate is bigger than it needs to be if we have to meet up _outside_ of it.” Katara mutters while leaning against a willow tree. They knew they had to wait for the cover of darkness before they could safely skirt around the alleys of the bustling city.

“So,” Yue started smugly, and Katara could just _hear_ the smirk in her voice. “Prince Zuko?”

Katara took a deep breath, remembering why Yue and Sokka got along so well, and tried to not roll her eyes. “You’re right, he _is_ the best choice into the palace.” The admission didn’t pain her at all. Yue was almost always right regarding political maneuverings. She had gotten two long-separated tribes to agree to her engagement with Katara’s brother, after all.

“That’s not exactly what I was talking about, Katara.”

“…You _have_ to be joking.”

Yue didn’t even bother holding back a quiet chuckle. “No, I’m not. I truly believe that ‘the prince of the most destructive regime in the history of the world has a little _crush_ ’ on the mighty Katara—recognized as the most powerful water bender in the world.” It was because she threw Katara’s own words back at her that Katara crossed her arms with a pout.

The temperature lowered ever so slightly, signaling that the sun was finally ceding control of the sky to the moon. Wordlessly, they began their venture into the streets of Caldera.

After only a few minutes of wandering around the edges of the main squares and the still bustling streets, it became quite clear that the city was a study in disparity. The further one journeyed from the palace, the poorer the people got. Each neighborhood was more destitute than the last, and the city guard grew more and more corrupt. These guards were actively extorting their own people into paying protection money. If they weren’t paid, property was destroyed. If citizens didn’t rely on the guard’s ‘protection’ they chanced some of the roaming crime groups attacking.

It was while the women were surveying yet another street of cramped houses on the verge of falling apart that they heard a commotion. They engaged in a quick series of signing to converse, deciding to scale the nearest building and move along the roofs for a better vantage of the situation. When they drew nearer to the noises, they began to make out the words of the shouts.

“It’s the Blue Spirit!”

“Kill him!”

Katara looked over the peak of the building they crouched on, surveying the scene before her. A figure with a blue mask and a Dao was facing off against a handful of guards. These guards had a variety of weapons, and, judging by the single old man cowering in his doorway, it looked as if they had just been interrupted collecting protection money. The masked fighter flickered between them all like a shadow until the guards were in a groaning pile on the street. A few audible clicks could be heard, and it sounded like the guards had been linked together by their own handcuffs.

A breathy chortle escaped from Katara. _Serves them right_ , she thought to herself absently.

The masked figure looked up sharply, staring straight at the two hooded observers perched on the roof.

She and Yue stiffened minutely, ready for a fight that never came. The fighter turned and disappeared into the darkness.

—

Fear gripped Zuko as he flew along the rooftops back to palace. Who could those two have been? And what could they have wanted? Questions without answers cascaded through his mind even past his scaling the palace walls to the private garden outside his chambers. His heartrate didn’t slow while he pulled off his gear and tucked it under the loose floorboard that poked out from beneath his bed. It didn’t slow as he put on his usual silken pants and tightened the drawstring waistband. It didn’t slow when he sat down and worked through his nightly meditations that he had done every night since Iroh was exiled. And it didn’t slow after he climbed into his massive four-poster bed, pulling the soft bedding over him as he closed his eyes and prayed to Agni for sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. Did it take me only a week in July to write this chapter? Yes. Did I not edit it and publish it until now? Also yes. But in this chapter, I'm primarily trying to set up our future drama. I'm really excited to present kickass Yue coming up! And I'm clearly not hiding the sad boy Zuko emotes at all.


	3. Coloratura

Zuko’s eyes flew open even before the first rays of sun could reach up to greet the sky. He was still deeply concerned about the two figures crouched on the roof last night, so he had spent almost no time asleep. Normally people attack, run from, or cheer for the Blue Spirit. No one ever just _watches_ the Blue Spirit. He threw his blankets off and dragged a hand through his hair. After shrugging his robe on, he began pacing his room and started nervously lighting and putting out the candle on his desk with his firebending.

Ignite.

Extinguish.

Ignite.

Extinguish.

Repeating the process until it was reflexive and meditative, Zuko cleared his mind and focused on his breathing. _Breathe. Pace. Ignite. Breathe. Pace. Extinguish. Again._ Finally, once the faint pink sun was just beginning to stretch its way over the horizon, Zuko’s mind and breathing had both calmed.

He extinguished the candle and let out a deep breath, before striding over to his wardrobe. The clothes he kept in his room were modest. Realistically, his room was modest, given his station. But a demoted prince didn’t really have much of a station, at least according to the Fire Lord. Zuko picked a tunic and some pants at random, in some combination of red and black. He didn’t wear gold anymore, outside of his crown. It wasn’t befitting him to be adorned. Azula said jewelry would only make his scar that much more noticeable anyway.

He pushed that out of his mind for now, however, and focused on what needed to happen today. The birthday festival for Princess Katara was tonight, even though her birthday had been over a month ago at this point. He was already thinking of some kind of excuse or plan to avoid most of the festivities, if not all of them. This festival was just a blatant show of power anyway, and no one ever looked to Zuko for power. No one ever looked to Zuko, period.

Zuko knew the festival’s rough itinerary. From noon to sunset, there would be a street festival with parades and dancing and food. This was informal and optional, held mostly by the merchants and commoners but intended for all who wanted to enjoy. At sunset there would be an official banquet at the palace. This banquet would take place outdoors and function as a means to view the sunset. Once the last rays of the sun disappeared is when the posturing begins. There would be duels, bending exhibitions, elite military drills, and of course theatrical performances declaring the Fire Nation’s supremacy. A small thought pressed into the back of his mind that the festival might be unenjoyable for not only the water tribe princesses but all of their assorted attendants and diplomats as well. But he shook that thought away, he knew better than to worry for others where Azula was concerned. He could only worry about himself if he wanted to keep surviving his sister and his father.

——

Katara really hated Fire Nation fashion. In fact, it was fair to say that she really hated the Fire Nation altogether. However, in this specific instance, she supposed she could condense all of her life-long and grief-fueled hatred of the Fire Nation to just their fashion. For this one time. The sheer number of layers of silks she needed to wear to fit the trend rendered the light breathability of the fabric useless. There was a massive silver fabric belt called an obi that felt like a suggestion to her _plural_ robes. It was a battle convincing the servant that arrived from the palace with the clothes to allow alterations. In the end, Katara compromised with billowing silver silk pants that gathered at the ankle just to have a shorter set of sky-blue robes which ended a few inches above her ankle. Even without that, her scalp hurt from the front of her hair being pulled into an aggressively tight topknot while the rest of her hair was plaited loosely by a series of heavy silver combs. The most ridiculous of all were the curved-up points of the silk shoes which seemed so deeply impractical to Katara that she assumed masochism must be some part of the fashion sense of these incomprehensible people.

Yue, however, was more familiar than Katara when it came to ornate and ceremonial clothes, so she had been very excited by her provided dress of the darkest blue silks. When Katara trudged out of her room and towards the gardens at the center of the Water Tribes’ guest estate, she found that Yue—unsurprisingly—was already ready. While Yue always looked great, she looked iridescent today. The Northern Water Tribe princess’s usual hairstyle was swapped for an ornate mixture of topknot and braids that would appease her personal taste while conforming to the dress code. Her robes were the color of midnight and embroidered with small constellations associated with the Northern Water Tribe. Her obi belt was a delicate lilac color like the first hint of light on the snow, and when Yue turned the gigantic musubi at her back was intricately gravity-defying and of the same color as her obi. An icy blue pleated skirt trailed roughly half a foot from under her robes completing the look with a hint of Yue’s own style.

Katara herself was already sweltering in the noon heat, and it seemed that she got off easy compared to Yue for volume of clothing.

“Katara! Why didn’t you wear those gorgeous purple robes I saw in your room earlier?” Yue was scolding her, which Katara had completely seen coming.

“Because they were even more uncomfortable.”

Yue rolled her eyes, and the two of them strolled from the gardens, through the estate. A palanquin was waiting for them which they were about to refuse when the door was opened revealing the Fire Nation prince and princess. Katara was taken slightly aback at what they wore. Princess Azula was decked in full ceremonial armor. Her silks were crimson red like fire but shone like blood in the sunlight. Her armor was plated which she wore on her chest, shoulder, forearms, and calves. It was made of flawless gold crafted into intricate flame designs. She wore no weapon, but Katara knew that her hands were the only weapon Azula needed. Prince Zuko wore no armor. Instead, he wore several layers of black silk robes tucked into a long pleated black silk pant. Over his ensemble was the only decoration he wore—a preciously embroidered red silk haori with small gold patterns of suns on it.

Azula turned her razor-sharp gaze onto the two Water Tribe princesses. “Ah, I see you figured out how to put on some civilized clothes.”

Attendants moved to help Yue and Katara into the palanquin, which they both gracefully accepted. Katara was incensed at the insult to her culture in her people. She schooled her features into one of demure acceptance and had to let Yue respond.

“We thank the royal family exceedingly for this most gracious gift. The robes are simply gorgeous.” Yue inclined her head into a slight bow of gratitude after both she and Katara had settled into the palanquin on the bench across from the siblings. Katara wondered briefly why they would even take a palanquin with four people, as that required double the bearers to carry them. It was needlessly extortive, in her opinion.

Azula snorted and examined her perfectly manicured fingernails with a look of disinterest. “The robes are not _simple_. I thought savages such as you would enjoy this new experience.”

“Azula.” Zuko didn’t turn away from the window of the palanquin. The Fire Nation princess huffed and propped her cheek on her fist, the picture of annoyed boredom.

Katara ignored the strange tension between the siblings and looked out of the palanquin window herself. What she saw sharply contradicted her experience last night. Where before there had been empty streets with scared people just trying to survive, it was a show of splendor and cheer. There were strings of lanterns crisscrossing the streets high above everyone’s heads. The streets were bustling with people, and everything was flashes of gold and red and smiles. The soft breeze carried the scents of sweet fried desserts and roasting meats. Katara pressed her face into the window, craning her neck to see everything she could.

Azula’s sharp barking laughter pulled Katara’s attention away from the festive roads. “Of course, a water peasant would like the celebrations of the commoners.”

“Oh, shut up, Azula.” Zuko rang a bell suddenly, and the palanquin instantly halted and lowered to the ground. “Come on, Princess Katara, Princess Yue, the street festival is the best part of a royal birthday celebration. But you have to see it from the ground to appreciate it.”

“Pft, Zuzu. Have fun sweating for nothing, dumdum.”

Zuko stepped down from the palanquin first and offered help to both of the Water Tribe princesses. After the three of them had exited, the bell inside the palanquin rang again, and the bearers instantly hefted it up to continue its stately journey through the crowds of celebrating people. A handful of guards formed a circle around them immediately. Katara shifted her weight slightly, nearly springing straight into a defensive stance. Yue also looked at the guards with barely hidden surprise. Somehow, it seemed as if the prince could sense their unease with the guards because he turned quickly and murmured softly. The guards saluted and stepped back, marching briskly ahead to join the palanquin’s processional.

“Prince Zuko, if I might ask, how’d you convince them to leave?” Yue joined her hands by sliding them into her sleeves.

“Easy, I simply reminded them that Azula is a little more… high-strung than I am. And that she might take umbrage to the guards protecting us instead of her.” Zuko shrugged modestly with the tiniest smirk pulling at his mouth.

Katara and Yue erupted into laughter as the three of them started moving with the flow of the crowd. Unfortunately, within the course of only a few blocks, both girls were panting heavily and drenched in sweat—making their already heavy robes that much more unwieldy. Even Zuko didn’t look very comfortable, Katara noted to herself with a small amount of smugness. What made Katara most uncomfortable was noticing how many people were staring at them. It was apparent that both girls were not from the Fire Nation, but their outfits, including Zuko’s, was what seemed to really stand out. Many people around them were wearing ankle-length brightly patterned cotton robes that had much shorter sleeves than the ridiculous silk numbers the palace had sent.

“I have an idea!” Katara announced suddenly, dragging Yue and Zuko along behind her while she searched the stalls and businesses. Finally, she found what she was looking for, a building with clothing displays in it. Katara pushed her way through the crowd, ducking into the shop. She called out softly, “Excuse me?”

“Just a minute!” After some shuffling sounds a small figure carrying a mountain of bolts of fabric appeared from around the different displays. They shoved the pile of fabric onto the counter where it swayed haphazardly. “Okay, how can I help y- Oh! Your highnesses!” The petite person dropped immediately into a bow. “I am honored.” They were a petite mousy person and seemed the same age as Katara herself. They had soft brown hair pulled back into the messiest topknot Katara had ever seen, so messy in fact that she wasn’t even sure how it stayed up. Probably the most obvious benefit to them was their limitless access to clothing—they wore a shimmery kimono robe open over a fitted pant and a loose tunic.

“Oh! No! It’s completely okay.” Katara kneeled beside them and gestures to her heavy silken robes. “We’re here for something a little less—dramatic.”

The shop owner snapped their fingers and jumped up. “I have just the thing!” They sprinted away, disappearing deep into the clutter, opening cabinets, and slamming doors. “I’ve never met anyone from the water tribe before! My name is Akko! Your complexions are beautiful, and those _blue_ _eyes_! I love it. My parents actually named me after you and your sister, Prince Zuko! A is for Princess Azula, and Ko is for Prince Zuko. Ah, I can’t wait for you three to try these on!”

Yue laughed delicately, looking through some of the displays when Akko reentered the main part of the shop. “Thank you so much, Akko! I’m really excited to wear some of these beautiful clothes. Did your parents make them?”

“No, but they taught me everything I know,” Akko sighed sadly as they held both a yukata and an obi in front of Yue. “Let’s have you try these on in the changing room over there!” After they followed Yue to the changing room to help her, they kept talking. “My mom used to work in a textiles factory when she was young, and she died from brown lung when I was a child. My father was killed in the war a few years ago, after being drafted in the navy.”

“Oh, Akko, I’m so sorry.” Katara hung her head in shame knowing fully well how much of the Fire Nation navy she had personally destroyed. No, not destroyed. _Murdered_.

“It’s not your fault, Princess Katara. Everyone loses someone in war.” Akko pushed open the curtain to reveal Yue in her new clothes. “Isn’t she beautiful? I’ve never met anyone with such perfect white hair before! Here, Princess Yue look in that mirror on your left!”

“Akko, it’s lovely!” Yue spun and looked at herself in the mirror with a small gasp, and Katara could understand why she had gasped. The yukata looked perfect on her. It was a soft lavender color covered in pink carnations with a blush-colored obi belt and musubi. Despite how much simpler the yukata was than the silk kimono Yue was previously wearing, it seemed to suit her even more.

“I’m glad you like it!” Akko spun around to face Katara another outfit already in hand. “Come on, your turn!” They pushed her gently into the changing room, and once they had closed the curtain, Akko began helping Katara shed her sweat-drenched silks. Chattering all the while, Akko asked, “How are you liking Caldera so far, Princess Katara?”

“It’s a lot hotter here than I’m used to, that’s for sure.” Katara laughed slightly, relishing in the comparatively cool air that hit her skin once her final silk layer fell to the ground. Akko was efficient, however, and Katara was in the yukata within seconds while Akko adjusted the obi and knotted the musubi. “But it is beautiful here. I’m honestly surprised. I knew on a realistic level that it wouldn’t be barren volcanoes and rivers of fire, but it was another thing to see it. It was another thing to _know_ that it’s just like any other nation.”

Akko nodded thoughtfully and began rearranging Katara’s hair. “These combs are way too heavy. And I understand what you mean. When my father died, I hated everyone. I hated the Fire Nation for the draft, the other nations for the war, I hated my grandparents for not moving to the colonies, and I hated my father for not coming back.” They paused again once all of the combs were removed from her hair, and they started to artfully arrange hair into a tiered updo with small silver ornaments holding it up. “I travelled for a while after he died, and I learned that everyone in the world has been hurt by the war. Ah, there you go! Now, that’s a hairstyle!” They threw the curtain open so everyone could admire their handiwork.

——

Zuko hadn’t been able to figure out why his palms were sweatier than normal or why his heart was racing. It wasn’t an unusually hot day, and he hadn’t been exerting himself. He got his answer the second Katara stepped out from behind the curtain in her yukata. It was rose-colored with a pattern of tiny blue blossoms all over, and the blossoms were the same color as her sky-blue eyes. Her obi was navy blue silk with a small silver cord knotted delicately around it. Katara’s soft-looking curly brown hair had been redone, and it was now a perfectly neat bun held in place just below the crown of her head with little silver moon and star hair pins. She was the most stunning woman he had ever seen. No, she was the most stunning person who had ever lived.

He realized that he must have been staring too much, because Katara turned to him with a worried expression. “Does something look wrong, Prince Zuko?”

“Oh! No, everything is great, perfect actually. You look perfect, I mean. Not that like you didn’t look great before, but—” Thankfully his rambling is cut off by Yue and Akko’s laughter.

“Okay, Prince Zuko, your turn now!” Akko led him into the changing room where there was already a change of clothes ready for him. “Would you like my help or… Princess Katara’s?” Akko wiggled their eyebrows and closed the curtain between them and Zuko, leaving Zuko to change, since his clothes were manageable by himself.

It took every fiber of his being to keep him from letting out a sigh of self-loathing. He couldn’t believe he had been so obvious. If Akko knew how much he liked Princess Katara already, then he had no doubt both Water tribe princesses had already figured it out. Which is doubly unfortunate because he only just realized it himself.

Once he finished changing, he stepped out and glanced at himself in the mirror. He was wearing a currant red yukata with vertical cream-colored pinstripes and dashes under a pale-yellow obi. He supposed that he would have looked good, if the red of his yukata weren’t nearly the same shade as the deep red of his burn. In shame, he turned away from the mirror to face Akko and the two princesses. Yue and Akko started giving small little hand claps with their fingertips.

“That’s so much better! You look great when you wear color, no reason for all those drab robes from earlier!” Akko crossed their arms proudly and moved to start gathering up the royals’ discarded garments.

“How much do we owe you for the three outfits?” Zuko was ready to give a summons for the small shopkeeper to be paid any sum.

Akko dropped into a low bow, “For the honor of dressing the most gorgeous and handsome people I’ve ever met? You owe me nothing, your highness.”

Katara and Yue immediately started protesting talking about how they couldn’t accept such a fine gift for free. Suddenly Zuko had an idea. “Well, Akko, we can’t carry these heavy silks around while we enjoy the street festival, so what if we trade you the kimono for the yukata?” The princesses paused for a moment and nodded in agreement.

“Oh, no, they’re too fine, I really couldn’t!” Akko waved both hands as if to banish the suggestion.

Yue placed a hand on their shoulder. “Think of it as a loan, if you use the fabric to create something new, we’ll come back and buy the new clothes from you. We couldn’t leave without giving you anything, it’s not in our nature. And this way we can come back and spend more time with the magnificent Akko!”

Akko considered it for a moment before nodding. “Alright, you have yourselves a deal! I’ll see you back here in a few weeks then, your highnesses. Happy birthday, Princess Katara!”

Zuko and the princesses bid Akko goodbye and rejoined the cheerful chaos of the crowded streets. They were instantly swept along by the flow of the exuberantly celebrating people, and the rest of the afternoon was a blur to Zuko. It was laughter and smiles and fun. It was his turn to show Princess Yue and Princess Katara the food of the Fire Nation. They tried mochi and fire gummies, rice candies and hot cakes, stalknose mushrooms and sizzlecrisps, and roast duck and udon. He showed them dancers, jugglers, and magicians. They bought painted wooden masks and decorated their own fans. Finally, once it was late afternoon, they began heading back towards the palace. It was maybe the most fun Zuko had could remember having in Caldera.

However, Zuko knew that everything would change back to the way it was once they were in the palace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I really did a lot of groundwork for this project in July, so it's actually just a matter of writing now. I hope to spend this next week really workin on the fic, because my hours got cut for the next two weeks at work. Will I make rent, who's to say? Will this fic get updated a lot? Probably!


	4. Ostinato

Despite the light-hearted day she had enjoyed with Yue and Zuko wandering the festive streets, it was time for the assuredly tense and humorless banquet hosted in honor of her eighteenth birthday. The crowd was buzzing as Katara and Yue were escorted to their seats near the head of the impressively long table. Where the Fire Lord and his family should sit was conspicuously empty for a what Katara could only presume to be a grand entrance. There were two place settings at the head of the table, one of them however bore no silverware or dishes, just the setting cloth. The next two seats were probably for Azula and Zuko. Azula would sit at the Fire Lord’s right hand as heir apparent. Zuko would sit across from his sister—at the left side of the empty setting. This layout had initially seemed to remind Katara of something, and as she settled down at her seat, gathering her skirts under herself gracefully, she remembered that the layout was the very same as the throne room had been.

Katara looked up to comment on this to Yue, only to find that the table which separated them was rather larger than it had seemed while standing. Besides that, Yue had already been drawn into conversation by the person on her right, leaving Katara to fend for herself so to speak. The person beside Katara was studiously avoiding her gaze while loudly commenting on how beautiful Katara and Yue’s outfits were. Katara herself found this an odd topic but decidedly refused to dignify it with a response. Instead, her gaze drifted down to her lap, where her hands demurely rested. She had dressed to play along with the Fire Nation’s penchant for over-the-top finery and needlessly ornamental clothing. Her gown was made of the darkest midnight blue brocade. The swirling pattern woven into the fabric reminded her of the inky depths of the ocean. It was truly mesmerizing, and as she stared at it and the wavering shine of the lantern light as it danced across the silken threads.

Unbidden, memories of her journey snaked their way through her mind. As she mulled over her thoughts, the sounds and smells of the Fire Nation faded away, and she only really saw the midnight blue brocade.

_Katara supposed that it had all started the day that her mother died…_

“Sokka! Mom said you have to take me with you if you’re going fishing!” A nearly nine-year-old Katara crossed her arms and stomped her small foot imperiously.

Only a year older at the time, Sokka fancied himself very much more mature than his younger sister and rolled his eyes. “I’m not going fishing, Katara! I’m going to watch Dad train the men.” Katara adopted a pout because she knew her brother must be tricking her, but she decided it wasn’t worth the fight. As her brother grabbed a spear and ran after where their father had gone, she drifted away from their igloo and halfheartedly began practicing some bending forms Hama had been trying to convince her to perfect.

Suddenly, she heard distant horns and yelling. There was an acrid burning smell cutting its way through the normally fresh and crisp air. When she looked around to get her bearings, she realized how very far she had wandered from her family. As the black snow began to fall, Katara started sprinting back to her family’s hut. She ran even though she slipped and skidded, and as she drew the animal hide aside from the doorway, she heard two sounds she could never forget. The first sound was a blade piercing flesh and bone—it was a sound that crunched and squelched unnaturally. But the second sound was the one that haunted her dreams. It was her mother’s choking voice as it called her name.

_“Katara,”_

Katara blinked herself back to reality to find that Zuko was now seated next to her. “Ah, Prince Zuko,” She inclined her head slightly in greeting.

“Princess Katara, are you feeling alright?” He seemed genuinely worried about her, so she decided not to completely lie to him.

Her hand reached unbidden for the necklace that rest where it always did at her collarbone. “Yes, I’m alright. I was just thinking of my mother.”

A sad look crossed his features, and he passed his left hand up to brush softly against the scar that marked the left side of his face. He seemed instantly to remember that she was still there, and he schooled his expression back into one of polite but distant interest. “You must miss her while you are away from home. I trust she is doing well, have you written her since you’ve been here?”

Seething rage overcame Katara. Perhaps it was not Zuko’s fault that her mother was dead. Perhaps it was unreasonable to expect the naïve son of a genocidal maniac to be apprised of the knowledge that her mother was dead, despite the fact that this knowledge was known by all other world leaders. Leaders who had shared their condolences to her entire tribe upon the death of her mother. But it was his nation to blame. It was his soldier who had left her mother bleeding on the floor of her family home, sneering at Kya and Katara as sauntered away. It may not be Zuko’s fault, but it may as well be to Katara. She needed someone to blame. She needed someone to hurt.

Katara’s blood ran cold, and she felt her face settle into a righteous glare. “I do not know how my mother is as, even if I were to send a letter, I doubt she would receive it. Unless you know how to send missives to the deceased?”

It was Zuko’s turn to blink and incline his head, but he had to bow in apology. “My condolences, I don’t—I um I didn’t know that your mother had passed.” He fidgeted under the weight of her unforgiving blue eyes.

Her voice was as flat and harsh as ice. “There’s much you don’t know about me and my people. About what we’ve been through.”

The Prince of the Fire Nation nodded weakly and rested his gaze on the table in front of him. Katara and Zuko spent the rest of the banquet in silence, watching as the last rays of sunlight bled out of the sky. Just as darkness felt like it was about to swallow the Caldera whole, the entire sky lit up in fireworks.

Katara was entranced as she watched, for a moment forgetting to maintain her sullen expression. Zuko seemed eager to redirect her focus since he quickly took the opportunity to lean over. “It’s all fun and games until Azula gets mad.” His voice was low, and while he laughed at his words Katara couldn’t help but feel as though he wasn’t joking.

Almost as if Zuko’s words were a cue, Azula rose gracefully. “Father, it would be my _pleasure_ to illustrate to our _honored guests_ what real bending looks like.” She took a deep bow and waited with perfect stillness for the Fire Lord’s permission.

He gave only a slight incline of his head to illustrate his approval. There was absolutely no shift in his countenance to indicate any ounce of fatherly pride. Katara was of the mind that he must barely be human. If Azula felt anything other than happiness, she did not let it show. Her cruel smile glimmered in the light of the lanterns as she ascended the steps to a simple dais. She took center stage and bowed quickly before launching into an intense and rapid-fire demonstration. It was all calculated blue flames. Pointed and precise movements. The Crown Princesses of the Fire Nation was the picture of lethal elegance. Like a shark-squid, she never hesitated or turned back. She appeared capable only of moving forward in aggressive and concussive bursts. Despite the dais being quite far from her, Katara could feel the radiating heat waves from Azula’s flames.

A fearful and tense silence had fallen over many of the foreign guests at the banquet. Katara could understand how sheltered people such as these Earth Kingdom nobles had never seen such combative bending. She herself was a bit surprised by the ferocity of the princess, having expected Azula’s cruelty to be… more political and personal in nature—however Katara was glad that she hadn’t fought Azula on the surprise attack the day before Sozin’s Comet. For some reason, Katara had a sneaking suspicion that the fight wouldn’t go very well at all for either woman involved.

——

Zuko’s eyes traced and retraced Katara while she watched Azula’s little fire bending exhibition. Katara’s expression, which he found was almost always guarded, was nearly completely neutral—nearly. There was a slight glint of calculation that Zuko couldn’t quite understand. She was beautiful, though, and it was so very difficult to keep his eyes from her face or her hair or her eyes or her graceful movements. Really, he knew it was hopeless for him. After what his nation did to hers. To her mother. He was certain that she’d always hate him.

_‘And she should!’_ He thought to himself glumly. There’s really only one reason she would have been so outraged at him asking about her mother, and that’s if it was the Fire Nation’s fault that she was dead. While he could relate to losing a mother because of Fire Lord Ozai, he also could relate to never being able to forgive those responsible. _‘And as the prince, I am partly to blame for simply being here.’_

In spite of his best efforts, his eyes continued to take in everything about her. He noticed the intricate manner in which her hair was gathered. It seemed to be a mixture of the braiding and ornament customs from the Water Tribes and the plaiting and pins of the Fire Nation. The way her rich brown hair shimmered in the low light was unforgettable. He knew so few people with brown hair, and he found her curly brown tresses to be the most beautiful that he had ever seen. Contrasting her piercing blue eyes, her bronze-like brown skin was a color that reminded Zuko of the sun’s warmth in the afternoon.

Yet, all too quickly, Azula finished her lengthy show of self-indulgence. Snapping his gaze away from Katara, Zuko poked at the dessert that had been brought out. It was perfectly plated mochi of varying colors and shapes. While he didn’t mind mochi, it was a particularly strong reminder of his uncle and his mother.

“If this rice blob is poisoned, you better tell me now.” Katara side-eyed him with a mischievous smirk while she watched him move his mochi across his plate listlessly with his chopsticks.

Zuko blinked quickly in surprise and tried to hold back the laughter that threatened to bubble out of him. “If anyone was getting poisoned tonight, it would probably be me.” He gave a humorless chuckle before freezing abruptly, realizing what he had just said to the Water Tribe Princess.

The only indication of surprise Katara gave was a subtle raising of her eyebrows. “Mm someone’s a little self-important, aren’t they? It is _my_ birthday celebration. But we like to share in the Water Tribes. Let’s agree to _both_ be poisoned by the sweetened rice blob.”

He let out a sharp sigh of relief, thankful that Katara was so adept at reading him. Maybe she was a little too good at it though? Zuko pushed the thought out of his mind. _‘Uncle had once said that the Water Tribes prize community above all else, it makes sense that she’d be very skilled in understanding people’s body language.’_

“So, when is your gratuitously over-the-top display of might, _your highness_?” Katara rested her chin on her palm and leaned into him conspiratorially as a group of synchronized fire dancers began their routine to the sound of pounding drums and reedy flutes.

Zuko cleared his throat slightly and looked down at his plate. “I, um, won’t be performing tonight. Or any night actually. That’s Azula’s sort of thing.”

Katara nodded mock-sagely. “I respect restraint and humility.”

“Yeah, restraint. That’s the one.” He watched the fire dancers with more than a flash of envy striking at his heart.

“But the real restraint is the portion size here. How late are those street festivals going on? Yue and I might need to grab more food on our way back to the guest estate.” She imitated swooning in hunger, and Zuko felt the hint of a smile tug at the corner of his mouth.

“Perhaps you might need a guide. It would be the height of rudeness to let two visiting princesses wonder around the Caldera unescorted.”

Zuko and Katara spent the rest of the banquet in playful banter and lighthearted conversation. He was so relieved that she seemed to at least ignore his insensitivity regarding her mother that had so marked the beginning of the night.

——

Katara tossed and turned after the banquet. She was still enraged with Zuko’s ignorance at what the war had cost the rest of the world, especially his ignorance at what the war had cost her personally. But, thinking of her mom and the war, it made her unable to ignore the surfacing memories of the journey that had brought her to the fire nation.

_Finding Aang was when her destiny became irrevocably tied to the war…_

“Dad! Dad!” A nine-year-old Katara and a ten-year-old Sokka were running and sliding across the snow-covered ice of the harbor while dragging a slightly confused-looking bald-headed young boy. “We found a boy in an iceberg!”

Hakoda turned to look at his very quickly approaching kids with their new friend and—to put it mildly—a shockingly large bison. “What?” His voice came out substantially sharper than he had meant for it to, and he visibly tempered himself as his children skidded to a halt in front of him. “May I speak to our guest alone for a moment?”

Katara beamed at her father, “Yeah, of course!”

Sokka leaned in and put a hand up in a flimsy attempt at blocking his words from the other boy. “Watch out, Dad. This guy’s some kind of air bender or something. I think he’s a Fire Nation spy.”

His sister punched him in the shoulder and crossed her arms, “Sokka! I told you he’s not!”

Hakoda drew the young air bender to the side, just out of ear shot from Katara and Sokka. “My name is Hakoda. I am the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe.” He gave a solemn bow to the boy in a way he had learned was traditional for the Air Nomads. “Could you tell me exactly who you are and how you got here?”

The child began a bit hesitantly, explaining to Hakoda that he was the Avatar but that he had run away from his training and had gotten stuck in an iceberg. “Oh, and my name’s Aang, by the way!”

After considering Aang’s story for a moment. “Aang, could you tell me who the Fire Lord is?”

Aang’s attention span had already drifted away to sneak glances at Katara, despite the grave tone in Hakoda’s voice, and the question just felt so trivial to Aang. “Um, sure, my friend Kuzon said that it’s a guy named Sozin or something.”

“I see. Well, Aang, are you hungry for some lunch?” At Hakoda’s prompting, Aang’s stomach rumbled impossibly loudly and the kid looked up with polar-dog puppy eyes.

“Yes, please!”

Hakoda nodded and called his children over. “We’re going to show our new friend to the capital.”

Katara cheered while Sokka grumbled. The group of them began to walk away from the harbor, towards the mountains. Aang called his bison, named Appa, over to follow them. At the dock, many of the men and women stopped their work to watch the strange boy and his frightening creature. They walked through the shabby-looking village and continued on the ice shelf heading towards the looming ice cliffs.

“How old are you anyway?” Sokka prodded Aang with a wolf jawbone-tipped spear.

“I’m eleven!” Aang didn’t turn his gaze away from Katara. “How old are you, Katara?”

“I’m nine, and Sokka is ten.” She laughed a bit. “It’s nice to finally someone our age who isn’t obsessed with fighting, and it’s perfect that you’re just a little older than him.”

Sokka huffed as he walked a little faster, matching Hakoda’s stride. “Well, I’m taller, so I’m still in charge.”

Aang shrugged and rolled his eyes pointedly, making Katara laugh. “Okay, whatever you say buddy.” He almost bumped straight into Sokka as the Water Tribe boy came sharply to a stop mere meters away from the giant cliff of ice. Aang looked around in confusion, wondering where this capital must be.

“Katara, would you show our guest how to enter the capital city?” Hakoda gestured towards the frozen wall of mountain. But with both of her hands flat, palms down, she gently pushed her arms towards the ground, and a chunk of ice sank away revealing a long and narrow tunnel.

Appa gave a low groan, and Katara laughed again. Aang sighed a little; he loved her laugh. She moved her arms farther apart and repeated the same gesture, forming a tunnel large enough for the sky bison. “I’m sorry, Appa! This should be a bit better.”

Aang followed the small family though the tunnel, giving Appa small assurances all the while. When they emerged on the other side, his jaw dropped. “Wow…” There was a whole blindly bright city full of winding streets and rounded architecture. The snow and ice shone like diamonds shaped into impossibly smooth curves. “I didn’t know the Southern Water Tribe had such a beautiful city! Why is it hidden like this though?”

Katara watched Aang curiously as everyone they passed stopped whatever they were doing to gawk at the air bender. “Well, Aang, it’s to protect us from the Fire Nation.”

“What? That’s not right. I have friends all over the world, even the Fire Nation. Why would anyone need protection from another nation?” Aang’s eyes widened in shock.

Sokka huffed again from a few steps ahead of Aang and Katara, but he didn’t engage in conversation. The three children and the chief neared a magnificent building that was settled just at the base of mountains that rose from the ground imposingly. An old and angry looking woman joined by an equally old yet more impassive woman with compassionate eyes exited the glassy palace.

Katara broke away from the group. “Gran-Gran! Master Hama!” The first of the two women stopped abruptly and crossed her arms while the other woman continued towards Katara, taking the young water bender’s mittened hands into her own. Katara excitedly continued her announcement after greeting the elder women of her tribe. “Meet Aang! He’s a real-life air bender! Maybe he knows the avatar—isn’t this amazing?”

Hama and Gran-Gran exchanged glances with each other and looked over the children’s heads to catch their chief’s gaze. Finally, Hama nodded. The master water bender cleared her throat sharply and Aang jumped a little in surprise.

Gran-Gran smiled warmly and removed one hand from her granddaughter’s to patting her grandson’s shoulder. “Children, why don’t you show your new friend around the palace, yes?”

Katara smiled widely, “Of course!” She eagerly began dragging Aang into the crystalline building, with Sokka grumbling after them.

_Katara remembered that she had mastered water bending in the year following her mother’s death. When she had found Aang, he revealed over the course of the next few weeks that he was the avatar, so she brought him with her to study with Hama. Hama had trained him for a few months before deciding that he knew enough of water bending to continue his training on his own. There was a war to finish after all, Hama had insisted at the time. So Aang moved on to the Earth Kingdom. It was only after he left that Katara was told a secret about the air bender’s fate that she had sworn to not tell Aang._

“Hama! I can’t believe you didn’t tell him!” Katara was mere millimeters from destroying the entire polar shelf which the Southern Water Tribe rested on.

Sokka wrung his hands nervously, looking both confused and guilty. “Yeah, that’s a bit of an extreme thing to do to a kid, not telling him that his people are still alive, letting him think that they died in a genocide… I don’t know about this, Dad.” He looked to his father in confliction.

Hakoda sighed and sank into a low chair piled with pelts. “Sokka, Katara, you must understand. The survival of the Air Nomads has been a carefully guarded secret for a hundred years—”

Hama cut him off with a gesture, “You both know that Aang struggles to understand loss and the cruelty of this war. He is also too proud and would not be able to comprehend why his people need to remain hidden. The Air Nomads that are alive now must be very different than he remembers. His childhood was monastic, but the Air Nomads of today are refugees and immigrants. They have learned to survive in the places where they sought asylum. The Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom have been sheltering the Air Nomads for decades. Many do not follow the old ways.”

“But, Hama,” Katara’s voice was choked with unshed tears that burned in her eyes for Aang. “He thinks that they’re dead.”

Hama’s eyes hardened, and she continued with no mercy. “They are. The people he knew, Gyatso and the others? They’re gone, Katara. Many Air Nomads had to give their lives during Sozin’s attempted genocide a century ago. They sacrificed themselves to convince the world that the genocide had been successful. Do you want me to dishonor their sacrifice? Katara, do you really think Aang would even focus mastering the four elements quickly if he didn’t have any personal stake in ending the war? The kid lived here for months and spent most of the time starving on principle, refusing to eat any meat.”

Shocked silence fell in the room. The two heirs of the Southern Water Tribe squared their shoulders together, resolutely. Sokka broke the quiet first. “Leaders have to make tough decisions. We’re all just children, but Aang doesn’t—can’t—understand how the world is now. Especially if he has any reason to think that his life can just go back to the way it was when he was only some kid air bender.”

Katara finally nodded slowly. “We all need to know our roles to end this war. Aang’s is to be the avatar, but he views himself so much as an Air Nomad. This may be the only way for him to become independent.”

Sokka rested a hand on his sister’s shoulder before directly addressing their father. “Dad, I think our connection to the Northern Water Tribe is too weak. If we want to end this war in our generation, we’ll need to call on all our allies. I want to go to the Northern Water Tribe for a while, to strengthen our ties once again.”

“And I’m going with him.” Katara crossed her arms and looked at both her father and her water bending master. “I know everything there is to know about Southern Water Style. If I am to be a true master water bender, I need to learn all I can about every style of water bending.”

Hakoda sighed once again. He stood and crossed over to his children, pulling them into a hug, whispering to them about how proud they made him. Hama gave the most fractional nod of approval before softly exiting, leaving the small family to their personal time.

_Somewhere in remembering, Katara drifted to sleep, strengthened in her resolve and her mission by her master’s and her father’s approval._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! Sorry about the wait! School is starting back up again, so I'm trying to keep everything balanced. I also want to apologize for all of the history and world building in this chapter. It got pretty out of hand, way more telling and not enough showing.   
> Hope you enjoyed though!  
> Happy New Year!


End file.
